The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

Meng Jiangyu stood up. "Let's all go home early after the New Year's gathering."

Everyone laughed and agreed, then got up to take their leave.

Tang Yu put his arm around Zhou Yanqiu's shoulder, his steps unsteady: "I'll take this drunkard home. I'll be in Beijing for the next two weeks. Contact me on WeChat if anything comes up."

Several cars drove away from the resort one after another.

Meng Jiangyu opened the car door for Shen Qingyao; the heating had already been turned on full blast.

"Are you cold?" He touched her hand and only started the car when he saw that it was warm.

"It's not cold." Shen Qingyao looked at the red lanterns flashing past the window.

Soothing piano music played inside the car, and the warmth of the heater mingled with the faint scent of cedarwood emanating from him, creating a sense of peace and comfort.

The car quickly left the mountain road and headed towards the city hospital.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the hospital corridor, weaving squares of light and shadow on the floor, which moved quietly with the sun.

The hospital director removed his stethoscope, a gentle smile spreading across his face: "Aside from the fracture in your left hand requiring long-term rest, everything else is recovering very well. Miss Shen has a good constitution; just pay attention to your rest and routine, and you'll be fine."

Shen Qingyao let out a long sigh of relief and subconsciously turned to look at Meng Jiangyu beside her. The joy in her eyes was like sparkling light that could not be hidden, rushing out in a frenzy.

Meng Jiangyu reached out and gently brushed a stray hair behind her ear, his fingertips feeling slightly cool to the touch, and softly said to the dean, "Thank you."

As the car entered Yu Garden, Shen Qingyao was immediately overwhelmed by the sight before her through the car window.

Red lanterns stretched from the main gate all the way to the entrance of the main building, and golden Chinese knots were tied to the vermilion pillars. Even the old plum tree in the corner of the courtyard was tied with red ribbons. When the wind blew, the ribbons fluttered and made a rustling sound, and the whole courtyard was filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

"Wow..." She pushed open the car door, her eyes shining like stars. "How has it changed?"

The garden, which felt rather chilly when I went out yesterday, is now decorated with festive cheer.

The lanterns under the eaves shone with a warm yellow light, and the window frames were decorated with exquisite paper-cut window decorations. Even on both sides of the stone steps, there were two pots of kumquats, with heavy fruits hanging from the branches, which looked very pleasing.

Meng Jiangyu followed behind her, watching her tiptoe to reach the lantern tassels under the eaves, and a faint smile unconsciously curved the corners of his mouth.

When he spoke, there was a hint of barely perceptible smugness in his voice: "Didn't you say the other day that Yu Garden was too plain and lacked any festive atmosphere?"

Shen Qingyao turned around abruptly to look at him, her heart feeling as if it had been gently bumped by something, warm and tender.

She had only mentioned it casually, yet he remembered it vividly.

"When was this decorated?" She moved closer and gently touched the Chinese knot on the pillar with her fingertips. The red velvet tassels brushed against her fingertips, leaving a ticklish sensation.

"This afternoon." Meng Jiangyu reached out and brushed the fine snowflakes from her hair. "Do you like it?"

Shen Qingyao's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She turned around, gently wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, buried her face in his coat, and said in a muffled voice, "I like it, I like it so much."

What she liked was never the lanterns and red silk, but the feeling of being cherished and valued.

He remembered her casual remark and her fondness for rituals, and in the most clumsy yet earnest way, he created a warm atmosphere for her throughout the entire courtyard.

Meng Jiangyu was stunned for a moment, then raised his hand to hug her back, gently patting her back as if comforting a kitten that had found a cuddle.

"I'm glad you like it." He lowered his head, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice so gentle it could melt water. "Let's do this every year from now on."

The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the wind, casting flickering light and shadow on the two people.

Shen Qingyao leaned against him, listening to his steady heartbeat.

The sofa in the living room of Yu Garden was piled high with gift boxes arranged side by side.

Shen Qingyao took off her coat. "What's this?"

"These are new clothes for your family members, all custom-made to their sizes."

"Thank you!"

Meng Jiangyu smiled and said, "Let's go back to our room and pack our luggage. I've already asked someone to put our suitcases in the walk-in closet."

The two walked side by side to the second floor. The corridor was covered with thick carpets, making it silent when stepped on.

Pushing open the bedroom door, I found the walk-in closet door ajar.

Shen Qingyao walked over and opened the door. Her clothes were neatly hung on the hangers, and her skincare products were placed on the dressing table.

Meng Jiangyu walked to the window and drew back the curtains to let the sunlight in.

Looking at the neatly organized walk-in closet, Shen Qingyao felt a warm feeling filling her heart.

She walked over and hugged Meng Jiangyu from behind, pressing her cheek against his back: "Meng Jiangyu, thank you."

He turned around, raised his hand and ruffled her hair: "Why are you being so polite with me?"

Sunlight filtered through his fingers and fell softly on her face, like a halo. "It's already past five o'clock. I'll have someone pack some food from Wangjinglou for you to take on the plane."

Shen Qingyao nodded with a smile, her eyes revealing a sense of dependence and reassurance that she herself was unaware of.

The overhead light in the walk-in closet cast a soft glow, illuminating the neatly folded clothes clearly.

Shen Qingyao was squatting in front of her suitcase, stuffing a few pieces of underwear into a hidden compartment.

Meng Jiangyu stood to the side, holding a cashmere sweater, clumsily trying to fold it into a square.

"That's not how it is," Shen Qingyao couldn't help but laugh out loud, leaning over to take the sweater, her fingertips tracing the wrongly folded corner, "The sleeves need to be folded inwards, otherwise they'll bulge out."

She kept her head down, her movements gentle, her hair occasionally brushing against the back of his hand, carrying a faint scent of shampoo.

As Meng Jiangyu watched her slender fingers weave through the clothes, quickly folding the messy sweater into neat squares, a sense of frustration suddenly welled up inside him.

A person who dominates the business world can't even fold a piece of clothing properly.

He gave up and picked up the scarf next to him instead. "What about this one?"

"No need to fold the scarf, just roll it up." Shen Qingyao demonstrated, rolling the beige scarf into a tight cylinder and stuffing it into the corner of the suitcase. "That saves space."

He tried to copy it, but halfway through, he lost his grip and the scarf came undone, like a mischievous snake.

Shen Qingyao laughed even harder, reaching out to hold down the end of his penis: "Slow down, don't rush."

The two of them, heads close together, worked together to deal with the unruly scarf, their breaths mingling in the small space, carrying a hint of intimacy that was hard to define.

Finally, there was one coat left: "I'll put this away."

As he bent over, the collar of his coat slipped open, revealing a faint red mark on his neck—a mark left by her when she was drunk the night before.

Shen Qingyao caught a glimpse of it, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head, pretending to tidy her clothes.

Meng Jiangyu, seemingly oblivious, neatly arranged the clothes and checked the suitcase locks again: "That should be about right. Is anything else missing?"

"That's all." She shook her head, looking at the suitcase that was packed full but not messy at all, and suddenly felt that doing these trivial things with him was more reassuring than anything else.

Meng Jiangyu closed the suitcase and reached out to ruffle her hair.

Shen Qingyao nodded and followed him out of the dressing room. Sunlight streamed through the corridor windows and fell on the two of them, casting long shadows as they nestled intimately together.

The airport security checkpoint was bustling with people, and the boarding announcements played on repeat, carrying the hurried atmosphere of the approaching year-end.

Shen Qingyao gripped her boarding pass tightly, her fingers clenching slightly. She looked up into Meng Jiangyu's eyes, a thousand words stuck in her throat, unable to utter a single one.

Meng Jiangyu saw through her reluctance and reached out to tidy her bangs that were ruffled by the wind. "I'll wait for you to come back."

"Uh-huh!"

"This can't be a dream, can it?"

Meng Jiangyu laughed out loud, "What are you thinking about all day with that little head of yours?"

"You didn't answer my question?"

"No, it's not a dream. I'm waiting for you to come back in Beijing."

"good!"

"I had someone take the things I prepared for you, your uncle, aunt, and brother through security beforehand, and they'll be delivered to your home later."

He paused, then added, "There are a few boxes of pastries for visiting relatives, and some tea and nutritional supplements. You can decide how to distribute them; they're convenient for personal use or as gifts."

Shen Qingyao nodded, her eyes feeling a little hot.

He was always like that, thinking of even the smallest details for her.

Meng Jiangyu picked up the Princess Diana from the side and handed it to her, saying, "Don't always use your phone, it'll hurt your eyes."

"Okay." Shen Qingyao took the bag, her fingertips accidentally touching his, and it felt like a faint electric current ran through her.

People came and went around them, their footsteps hurried, but in their eyes, it seemed that only each other remained.

Meng Jiangyu lowered his head, gently cupped her face, and caressed her cheeks with his fingertips, his movements as tender as if he were handling a rare treasure.

I will miss you.

Shen Qingyao's heart skipped a beat. She tiptoed closer to him and kissed his lips.

The kiss was filled with reluctance and longing, gentle yet lingering, as if trying to kiss this brief separation into time.

Meng Jiangyu deepened the kiss, tightened his arms, and held her firmly in his embrace, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.

Only when his breathing became unsteady did he pull away slightly, his forehead pressed against hers, his voice low and hoarse: "Message me when you arrive to let me know you're safe."

"Mmm." Shen Qingyao's voice was slightly nasal, and she dared not look at him again, afraid that tears would fall.

"I've prepared a New Year's gift for you. You can see it after you board the plane."

"good!"

She turned and walked toward the security checkpoint, but after taking two steps, she couldn't help but turn back. Meng Jiangyu was still standing there, wearing the gray coat she liked, staring at her with a deep gaze, like a deep lake.

Shen Qingyao waved her hand forcefully, turned around and quickly walked into the security checkpoint, not daring to look back.